It's a special room. Hello I'm tired and is in New York -- -- ABC news digital special report a brisk beginning to the new year from Chicago to Boston. Blizzard like conditions could dump as much as a foot of than half of snow in some places. -- monster storm closing schools across the country and making -- so much more dangerous. He's -- Goldberg has been tracking the storm has this report. More than a hundred million Americans are in the path of the first major snowstorm of 2014 I -- -- hold that it won't be as bad as they say. Forecasters say 22 states from Kansas to Maine are going to feel the force of this winter blizzard that drive -- today and taken the train in Chicago the area already is buried under a foot of snow. It just keeps piling up this is not staff. It's horrible. This this. I guess it's Chicago other typical residence they are using whatever they can -- to clear ever survive. All across the midwest slippery roads are making driving dangerous this car sliding into a traffic light and stop sign before plowing into a store. This train in eastern Iowa do you railed after the freezing temperatures warped the rails this picture in the Sioux City journal. And if you think air travel is any better -- began more than 2300. Flights have been delayed. More than 11100 have been canceled the massive storm is now moving east they're saying somewhere possibly between six. -- fourteen inches but with this I'll be ready for anything in Boston where they expect more than a foot of snow local authorities say they're ready for the blizzard for this before and down. I will go through the -- and public works -- -- to their work. Residents in the northeast are stocking up ahead of that snow and the single digit temperatures anything -- -- managers. Don't panic. Everything will be fine. You make it. Scott Goldberg ABC news New York. And as the storm heads east it is affecting commutes and air probably BC's Matt -- -- is in new union square in New York City. -- joins us now with more at. -- New York City agencies are in -- snow alert from the MTA to the sanitation department they are prepping everywhere from the Bronx to Brooklyn to right here in union square. It's snowflakes -- sanitation crews started their morning for a -- Deploying -- -- plows and salt spreader across the city. Snow chains on MTA buses are providing more traction but as the roads get -- city officials say they'll likely be delays. So why not take the subway. I use the subway because the -- the fastest way to get anywhere as long as it's not shut down and -- you know completely drowned -- down. In union square crews tossed this loads of salt -- to the walkways. In lower Manhattan New York city's new schools chancellor Klein the heavily salted steps of tweed courthouse for her first day on the job. Which involves monitoring the weather. My book of the month this -- will make miracles. And I can't wait to start city schools will remain open through the end of the day but the storm could lead to cancellations tomorrow. Where could we be seeing the most outages -- that initially with the stormy usually see in person and what we have overhead service. Con Ed spokesman Mike Clinton Dennett is expecting outages in the suburbs where snow totals will be high. He says -- since noble cause branches -- snapped and fallen power lines pulled. Have adequate staffing enough staffing it is to respond any -- that might have carved. Sally Port Authority says they'll be adding extra personnel. At the bridges tunnels and at the airports will -- be using special machinery. To liquefy the snow and keep the runways clear. -- all right -- tell us a little bit more about the flight delays how bad are things right now the local airports their New York City. What's getting pretty bad about 17100 cancellations -- nationwide about 4400. Delays nationwide but here in the New York City area we're seeing a lot of cancellations at new work. Significant delays at LaGuardia as well as at. JFK it. And how long is the city expected the snow the last and a lot of school kids across the country. Are looking to see if they're gonna -- -- the -- no way and then -- well now. Well you know I've been talking education officials they -- -- most likely be school be canceled tomorrow even -- the snowfall will probably. Stop -- New York City around tomorrow afternoon they're also worried about ice freezing on branches of those branches falling on top -- power lines. Knocking allowed knocking out electricity here in the suburbs. All right so a lot -- things to think about as we head into the stormy WBZ's -- -- -- thank you so much for joining us. And get more on the big picture and how bad it really is let's bring in Andrew Bagley from AccuWeather. -- where people getting hit the -- yes. So far -- across the midwest -- wasting a lot of heavy snow along interstate eighty treacherous travels through Indiana Ohio good three to six -- on the ground. Now behind that storm system we -- -- -- wrap around a lake enhanced snow around Chicago area and that's what we saw some accumulations over a foot. Just north of the city itself then there's still some delays out of O'Hare. As a result now the snow continues to push across the midwest into the northeast. So far generally been on the lighter side if you which is certainly on the ground at some -- response on the roadways along the New York State thruway along interstate eighty into Pennsylvania. But the moisture is coming from the southeast with rain in the Carolinas sit down towards parts of Florida. This is what's going be fueling the heaviest of the snow it's gonna run in. All this colder air with a -- -- disturbance -- -- the snow just pick up in intensity all across the northeast as we headed through Thursday evening. And especially late in the Thursday nights -- school cancellations on Friday certainly to be expected the worst of the storm. Going to be right across parts of New England from Long Island up into Boston. Because we have the heavy heavy snow. Accumulations over -- what many areas and then the gusty winds gusting into the forties and fifties so that's going to cause a blizzard like conditions we have some blizzard warnings around the Boston area toward the -- Rest of the region. -- do a lot of heavy snow as well across the New York State -- good 610 inches some -- upwards of a foot possible. In northern Pennsylvania now this is going to be a quick moving storm clearing out as mr. Friday morning. But behind that a bitter Arctic chill a lot of record lows. Temperatures in the single digits and a lot of freezing as a result. -- -- so that tells us we're getting the snow is gonna go way back it will stay on the ground. It's not gonna melt any time soon. Absolutely. -- -- Andrew -- -- thank you so much for joining us. And thanks again AccuWeather it's been a rough start to the new year whether why is so weird and of course -- to complete recap right here -- ABC news dot copper down tired and his. In New York with his news digital special report.

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